Quit Your Job, It Will Make You Happy

Do I have your attention now? Good. I am sure at some point in your life you have thought about a career change. Are you currently doing something that makes you happy? If not, why not look for that? It is about time to quit your current job and try that one thing that will make you truly happy.

Let me back up. When I graduated college in 2011, I was one of the few of my friends who had a job right out of school. Everyone was proud of me. I was stoked to be making some cash. I got hired by an amazing software company in Boston. I was a Business Development Representative which meant that meant my job was to cold call prospects and then set up some product demonstrations. The saying “Is your calendar open?” became my best friend.

While cold calling was not my dream, I was at an amazing company, I was working with some of the best people I had ever met, and I was making decent money for just being out of school. I started in June of 2011. I peaked in September and then had ups and downs. I slowly started to realize that the life of salesmen was really not for me, and that was the route I was going in.

In April of 2012, with no plan or interviews at other companies, I made the most difficult decision (or so I thought it would be) I have ever made: I QUIT MY JOB.

It is July of 2012, and I have never been happier before. Here is some advice for you:

1. Find something you love

I am currently at the Startup Institute Boston in the technical marketing track. I am learning first hand what it is like to work at startups in the Boston community. They have lit fires under all of us, forcing us to go out and reach out to companies we want to work at. If you are doing something that is not making you happy, don’t be afraid to take a risk and do something that will. We are young, we can afford to do it now.

2. You will be OK

When I was in the decision making process of quitting my job, I was so sure that my life was going to end the minute I left. I thought I would never find another job (I have had a bunch of interviews). I thought I would be living out of a box. It didn’t end up this way. I had saved enough money that I can live a few months. It is ok. YOU WILL BE OK!

3. Everyone has gone through this

In my sales job, I had amazing managers above me who basically told me they had all gone though something similar at some point in their life. They understood that sales is not for everyone. They supported my decision even though they were sad to see me go. They connected me to people who could help me and made sure to tell me that if I EVER needed anything, they were more than happy to help me. If you are reading this you know who you are. If you think you are alone in this decision, believe me, you are not.

Looking back, I truly believe I made the right decision. If you can afford to take a risk, don’t be afraid to do it. Even when the media says job rates are bad, there are places like startups that are always hiring, you just need to take the initiative. Stop sending your resume out to everyone and make a meeting with a CEO to grab coffee. That’s how you get it done. Now go be happy.